


The Visitor

by Azile_Teacup



Series: Of Sisters, Summer, Drummers and so much more [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-05
Updated: 2012-10-05
Packaged: 2017-11-15 17:28:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/529761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azile_Teacup/pseuds/Azile_Teacup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hunith comes to visit Merlin and Arthur. Part of my Sisters, Summer, Drummers and so much more universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Visitor

**Author's Note:**

> Mention of past rape/non-con and non-graphic description of events surrounding it

Arthur sneezes loudly from the spare room. So loudly that Merlin hears it from the bathroom.

“God bless you! Jesus, that was a huge sneeze!”

“Ye-huh...”

Merlin laughs and finishes cleaning the bath as Arthur sneezes again. He heads for the spare room and finds Arthur making the bed, clean sheets put on neatly with hospital corners.

“Right, go shower sweetie Pie.”

“Oh Sweetie Poo, what about the bed?”

“Hospital corners are done. I'm sure I can chuck a duvet on. Sweetie pie.”

“Chuck! Berlin! Your bother is cobig to stay, you are dot to 'chuck' asythig adywhe...”

Arthur sneezes again. Right in Merlin's face. He blushes and mutters before opening the cupboard. A cloud of dust bursts out and Arthur snaps the door closed again. Merlin stifles a laugh.

“Ebrys! Whe' did you last-”

Arthur pauses to sneeze three times in quick succession and to rub his nose

“- clead this bloody place?”

“Dunno. I hate vacuuming.”

“Which is why we should let your Bub stay at bide.”

“My Bub? At Bide? Where's Bide then?”

“Oh shut up.”

Arthur opens the cupboard again and pulls out the duvet but it sends him into a fit of sneezes and Merlin, laughing all the way, tugs him into the bathroom and shoves him into the shower still sneezing his head off.

“Why are you making my Mother's bed completely naked, by the way?”

“I did't get dressed yet. You started cleadig and the dust got up by dose.”

Another flurry of sneezes. Merlin leaves Arthur to shower in peace and gets out the hoover with a scowl. He really ought to vacuum though, the sneezing isn't fatal but it's annoying and the dust makes Arthur wheeze as well. And his eyes always swell up. Last time he tried to clean Merlin's flat he couldn't see for a day and wandered around with his eyes swelled entirely closed until he gave in and let Merlin take him to the doctor.

“Prat.”

Merlin starts the horrible machine and hoovers more thoroughly then he ever used to, before he met the allergy ridden bag that is his boyfriend. He hums to himself and runs the hoover in time to the tune, faster and faster as the song gets faster and faster. Bloody Russian folk music Arthur's listening to (for school, Merlin! For school!). Arthur's chuckle makes Merlin look up and he grins. Arthur's nose is pink, his eyes are red and he looks rather lovely. He's also completely naked still.

“You know my Mum's going to be turning up here pretty soon?”

“Mm. I know. Not till the afternoon, actually. Will she not approve of my behind?”

“I thought you only called it that in front of your students.”

“And little innocent you. Hey, can I have a go on your drums?”

“You have a horrible sense of rhythm.”

“Please? I'll put some clothes on and everything. I'll cook for your mother.”

“Oh fine, go drive my neighbours mad.”

Arthur beams and bounces out. Merlin re-starts the hoover and finishes the 'dusting', ignoring the noise and clamour from the living room. He winces as he heads through. Arthur's grinning, happily beating a random, very much not rhythm out on the drums. He looks happy, though, so Merlin smiles.

“How can your sister be so incredibly talented and you be so utterly useless?”

“No idea. Talking of Gana, can she come meet your mother? She likes her 'band' to be like family. Though, she probably didn't expect me to make you properly family by-” Arthur takes a deep breath as if steeling himself “- fuckingyou!”

Merlin laughs and goes to kiss Arthur for that. 

“You're such a prat. Why are you trying to swear?”

“Thought it might impress you.”

“Well it doesn't. Okay, it makes me laugh.”

Arthur grins up and him and whacks the cymbal in victory. Merlin whacks him round the head, very gently.

“Stop now. Enough noise. Do you want to go for a walk before Mum gets here? Through the park?”

“Sure. I love love love autumn! No idiotic allergies!”

“Except to dust.”

“Shut up.”

Arthur bounces up and into the hall then gallops back and past Merlin to the bedroom, grabbing a jumper for each of them and thrusting Merlin's at him with a smile and a very dirty kiss. 

“You might not say dirty things but you do plenty of them.”

“Good. Shoes.”

Merlin laughs and throws Arthur's at him, careful not to actually hurt. 

*

Morgana is sitting on the couch flicking through the channels and ignoring Gwen on the phone. She recognises the voice Gwen uses to talk to Arthur- amused, a little bit worried, gentle and argumentative. Morgana flicks from Come Dine with Me to How I met your Mother. 

“Hey, Morgana. Your brother wants to talk to you. Tell him he's a big old poo head.”

Morgana catches the phone and pouts at Gwen until she got a kiss, then she whacks Gwen's arse as she hurries away to be busy elsewhere.

“Hello Arf.”

-Morgs, Morgs. Howdy?-

“Shut up. What is it? Oh, Gwen says to say you're a poo head.”

-All I did was tell her the dress she had on yesterday wasn't my favourite! It was all dusty and made me sneeze.-

“Did you not just tell her her dress was horrible?”

-Maybe. Merlin woke me up really early this morning by trying to clean and making me sneeze. His flat is disgusting.-

“Did you just call to tell me about you sneezing?”

-No. Do you want to come to Merlin's for dinner tomorrow and meet his mother?-

“Ooh! Can Gwen come?”

-Sure. Tell her not to bring that horrible-

Morgana hangs up on him.

“Gwen!”

“Yes?”

“We're going to get to meet Hunith tomorrow!”

“I met her last time. She stayed at Arthur's and I was asleep, drunk as a skunk, in the living room. I was sleeping on top of Leon. We were both naked, who knows why. Hunith found it hilarious.”

“Oh yeah. Amazing.”

Gwen comes and curls against Morgana, who clicks over from How I met your Mother to Inspector Moltabano.

“I like this. It's funny.”

“We have to read subtitles?”

“Yup. Either that or get Arthur over here to translate.”

“Since when does he speak Italian?”

“Um, Morgana! He's spoken it as long as I've known him! He and Leon both learnt from the Italian lady down the street in America.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about her. She gave them cookies and ice cream.”

“Lucky buggers. Why didn't you?”

“Dunno really, wasn't interested I guess. We should get Arthur and Merlin to invite Leon and Percy. It will be like a family reunion.”

“Good idea. Mm. I love your boobs, Morgana.”

“Thank you.”

Gwen kisses one and Morgana laughs. 

“Sorry, that was silly. Hey, when's your next concert and where?”

“Next weekend. We're off to that festival, the winter one.”

“It's autumn.”

“Autumn, winter. What's the difference?”

“Autumn, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness-”

“Shut up. You're an art teacher, not an English teacher.”

“Yeah yeah. Where is this 'winter' festival?”

“Not sure. Merlin knows.”

“You're so scatty.”

“True. I'll miss you. Though, I'm sure Arthur will drive you crazy with whining about Merlin being away and keep you busy.”

“No! It's definitely Leon's turn this time!”

“It's Percy's birthday. That would just be cruel.”

“Damn.”

“Mm. What do you want to do tonight?”

“What about that club? The new, sexy one in town. It's a lesbian one, according to a girl in my class.”

“You're bi, so you wouldn't be allowed in.”

“Fuck off, so are you. D'you wanna go?”

“Not really. Let's stay in and watch something romantic, maybe have sex.”

Morgana blushes. They haven't actually done that bit of things yet. Gwen's been patient and doesn't even mind when Morgana gets it from other places. Morgana's still unsure of being touched in a way that actually matters, by someone who actually matters. She'd loved Tauren, before he did that, she'd really loved him. They'd done some stuff that she felt was mutual. She'd ignored Arthur's warnings and anger and railings about 'inappropriate touching'. She'd almost not called him.

“Did you know I almost didn't call Arthur? That night.”

“No, I didn't know that.”

“Yeah. Tauren was drunk, touching me, laughing when I told him not to. He was calling me names. Prude, frigid. Saying it was time to have sex, so I needed to stop whining and put out. So I went to the loo and called Arthur. But I nearly didn't.”

“Why was that?”

Gwen's gentle questions have made Morgana talk more than she's ever talked, even to Arthur. Arthur was so scared and sad about what happened that sometimes talking to him was too much. But Gwen's always calm and gentle.

“He hated Tauren. He was always telling me to wait and see, he'd be proved right. I thought he'd tell me he told me so.”

“Did he?”

“No. He punched Tauren and then wrapped me in a blanket and carried me to the car. He was fifteen but he played football, American football I mean, and he could lift me clean off the ground. He was driving. Illegally, of course. He drove me home and then put me to bed, made me a mug of soup and disappeared. I thought he went and killed Tauren, or at least beat him up. I found out recently that Arthur went to the police station and a lawyer's office and then made sure I'd never know, I'd never have to deal with it. Tauren's in prison. Has been for years. I don't want to be, even if it's just in my mind. Please can we have sex?”

“Yes, okay. I'd like that.”

Morgana stands and drags Gwen after her to the bedroom. Gwen's hands find Morgana's spine and run along it, down to her hips, over her thighs and up to her neck. One hand cups Morgana's face the other runs over her stomach and chest before cupping a breast very gently.

“Tell me if it's too much. If you need a break.”

Morgana nods and jerks forwards to kiss Gwen, lips tingling. Her hands clutch at Gwen's back and try to reciprocate the touches but she's too... something. Lost.

“I love you, Morgana. Very much.”

“I know. I know. I, too.”

Gwen's mouth descends on Morgana's and kisses her again, passion and lust making them both moan. They do have to stop several times. They gasp and touch, exploring one another. It's hard sometimes, Gwen's so gentle and patient though. Morgana has never understood why she doesn't mind meaningless sex but can't stand this. It makes her breathless and scared. Arthur told her it was the intimacy, the trust demanded. 

In the middle of it all, Gwen's fingers inside her, her hands on Gwen's breasts, Morgana suddenly understands what Arthur meant. Gwen's hands aren't just touching her for pleasure, Gwen isn't just taking pleasure herself. It's more. Gwen's hands are learning Morgana's body, her love is in every brush on Morgana's skin. Morgana would burst into tears but she already understands this. Gwen's been doing this, in a non sexual way, all the time. Little kisses to Morgana's breasts, a hand on Morgana's bum, fingers over Morgana's stomach. The intimacy isn't inextricably mixed with the sex and the trust is already built. So instead of crying, she cries out and shudders. Gwen grins at her.

When they climax, almost at the same time, Morgana does cry. Big, sobbing tears that she tries to hide from Gwen in the pillow. Gwen rolls her so her face is pressed into Gwen's breasts instead, hands over and over Morgana's back, voice a soothing chuckle and gentle sigh in Morgana's ear. They lie together until the crying is over and then Morgana looks up and catches a glimpse of Gwen's unmasked face for a moment. The sadness, anger and fear that Arthur never hid and Gwen hides so well. It's reassuring but Morgana's glad when Gwen notices her looking and smiles instead. Gwen makes the past stay there and the present become good, not angry or sad.

“Gwen?”

“Yes?”

“I love you, too.”

Gwen beams and kisses her nose. 

*

Leon howls with laughter as Percy catches his ticklish sides with his fingers, pinning Leon to the carpet where he tackled him moments before. He bucks and tries to roll away from the torturing fingers but Percy just grins and presses him into the floor.

“Percy! Please, please, mercy!”

Leon's phone goes off from the coffee table and Percy relents.

“Saved by the bell, Knight.”

“Oh I thank my lucky stars.”

“Shut up and get your phone. Since when is 'oops I did it again' your ring tone?”

Leon wriggles to the coffee table and answers the phone.

“Since Arthur was an utter prick and changed it.”

-Hey!-

“Oh, sorry Arf Arf. Doggy feel sad?”

-Shut up. You knew it was me. Didn't you? Didn't you!-

Leon grins at Percy and barks. 

-You're insufferable. Merlin says I still have to invite you for dinner, even thought you are an arse. Well, actually it was Gwen who said to invite you. Merlin's Mum's over.-

“Last time she was here I was naked on your living room floor and Gwen was naked on top of me!”

-I couldn't exactly send you home. You were both stinking drunk and half staggering. How you got there I have no idea. Hunith didn't mind, did she? Made you bacon and everything.-

“Mm. That was goood bacon.”

Percy laughs silently and Leon grins at him.

-Stop showing off to Percy. That smile is far less attractive than you think it is.-

Leon looks around, startled.

“How did you know!”

-Same way you know when I'm awake after a headache, when I'm getting a migraine etc.-

“Oh. Right. Still freaks me out.”

-Me too. So, dinner with Hunith? I'm cooking. Promise Merlin won't try.-

“God, that was horrible.”

-Bring Perce along. He's way better at football then you are and I want to kick a ball in the garden. Gwen and Morgana are coming so we can play two on two with one goalie, unless Hunith wants to play. Merlin's hopeless.-

“Is that likely? When do you want us to come?”

-Tomorrow at four. It was just dinner but then Morgana and Merlin finish rehearsal at three thirty so they suggested everyone just come over after that-

“Can we do tomorrow, four o'clock, Perce? Dinner with Merlin's Mum and everyone?”

“Yeah, no plans.”

“Sure Arthur, we'll be there. Are you all right? You sound congested.”

-Merlin's cleaning. It's horrible. Dust everywhere.-

“How are your eyes?”

-Fine. He keeps making me shower. I think I freaked him out last time.-

“The time your eyes swelled up like golf balls and you blundered around blind?”

-That's the badger. Ugh, I'm godda sdeeze agaid. Hag od.-

Leon wonders if it's odd that he finds Arthur's sneezing reassuring but then pretends that doesn't exist and waits for Arthur to stop. Which he does, but only after six sneezes in a row.

“Jesus, are you done?”

-Yeah. That was a sball fit. I sdeezed sixteed tibes earlier. I deed to go shower for the four hudreth tibe. See you later-

“Yeah, see you. Bye Arthur.”

-Bye-

“He all right?”

“Allergies. Merlin's cleaning. Apparently he sneezed sixteen times.”

“Ha! Amazing.”

“Is it weird that I find it reassuring when he sneezes?”

“A bit. Anything familiar is reassuring, so not much. I find it reassuring when my sister snorts as she laughs.”

“Ah. Good. Not weird then.”

Leon's thinking of kissing Percy but Percy stops him with a look.

“Leon.”

“Mm?”

“If I do this, go to lunch with your family and they are your family, you have to come to lunch with mine.”

“Perce-”

“Don't. You told me that you're afraid, that if relationships get too serious it makes you feel squicky.”

“Perce-”

“But it's been months. This is a serious relationship, whether you meet my family or not. So you are going to meet them. I'm going to blackmail you. I go if you go. Anything you want me to do from now on, I do on the condition that you do this for me.”

Leon sighs. Percy is right. Gwen and Arthur have already told him he's being ridiculous. Well, Gwen has. Arthur has typed at him while Leon sits on the psych couch. He doesn't want to though.

“I don't want to take the next step. I like how things are.”

“You're worse than Arthur about change. He managed it, didn't he?”

“He punched me. Sobbed. Wandered around like a zombie. Called me at odd times in the morning-”

“He's fine. He's happy.”

“So am I.”

“Well I'm not.”

Leon looks up to find Percy's eyes. He doesn't look happy. He looks tired, looks sad, looks very serious. Oh. 

“I'm sorry. Arthur says I'm unobservant and here I am proving him right. I'm sorry I'm hurting you.”

“I know. You are, though. I need them to meet you Leon. I need them to know who you are. They're my family. It matters. I met Arthur!”

“I know. I know. I'm sorry. I love you, Percy.”

Percy sighs and shuffles over on his knees, presses Leon back onto the floor and lies on top of him. Leon laughs and pats Percy's back, then soothes him until Percy gives a quavering sighs and rolls so they can cuddle on the floor.

“I'll come meet your family. Your sister and your mother and your father, your cousins. I want to. I'm just scared that they won't like me. People tend not to, sometimes. Arthur's always been the one who charms and gets us out of trouble. He talked the police into giving us cookies and milk shakes after they caught us stealing chocolate on a dare by an older girl.”

“Girl?”

“Yeah. We were wussy.”

“Okay. Was she fat, spotty with glasses?”

“No. What's that from?”

“Friends. The little girl who dances with Ross, on his feet.”

“Haven't seen it. We always watched Batman and Spidey.”

“And X-men?”

“Yeah. And Loony Tunes. When we were teenagers Arthur discovered Location Location Location and we watched that.”

“That's weird.”

“Mm. It surprises me how much Arthur is in my stories.”

“You spent every day with the guy until you turned fifteen and discovered sex, then lived with him at uni. You followed him to the UK for feck's sake!”

“He was twelve, actually. When he discovered sex. Told me all about it. I was older. He's the first guy I kissed. Do you remember he told you that story about Halloween and those spy costumes?”

“Secret agents, Leon. Not spies. Spies have hats.”

“Yeah. A few years later... we used to watch James Bond as well, by the way. And read it. Anyway. We did the secret agent costumes again and... I wanted to see what it was like. So he kissed me.”

“Ha! Oh, Leon! You sad little boy!”

Percy laughs and tugs Leon to sit on the sofa.

“How about I kiss you, we can pretend we're secret agents if you want.”

“Okay. I'm here to catch you, cus you're a bad guy, but you're just too hot and I can't stop myself.”

“Good plan.”

Percy kisses him and Leon forgets about being a spy or a secret agent, forgets about Arthur and meeting Percy's family and being afraid. Percy's here, kissing him, and Leon loves him. Nothing else matters. 

*

Hunith wakes early but someone's still up before her. Probably not Merlin. He's not a morning person. Hunith frowns for a minute but then remembers Arthur saying he'd sleep here and going to bed before she and Merlin did. Poor thing was yawning and blinking at the dinner table. Hunith likes Arthur. He's down to earth, kind and a bit forceful. He makes Merlin happy. 

Hunith gets herself out of bed and to the shower, taking with her clothes and the towel left in her room. Again, probably not Merlin. The flat is cleaner than she ever remembers anywhere Merlin's lived being. Merlin told her last night that Arthur's allergic to dust, thus the cleaning. And the tiredness. Apparently due mostly to a headache from clogged sinuses. 

She heads for the kitchen in bare feet and smiles at Arthur's back. He's wearing a pair of cotton pyjama trousers and nothing else, toes curling against the floorboards and humming to himself while he watches the kettle.

“Good morning.”

Arthur jerks and spins, wide eyed and panting. Hunith laughs and goes to touch his cheek.

“Sorry. I thought you heard me.”

“No. I was thinking about Merlin. Do you want breakfast?”

“Yes please.”

“Eggs on toast? Or pancakes? Waffles? Um, cereal?”

“Eggs on toast sounds nice.”

Arthur blushes and nods, seems to notice his half dressed state and blushes harder. Hunith stifles her giggles until Arthur has left the room and finishes her giggling before he returns wearing Merlin's old sweatshirt from when he went through a phase of wearing clothes far too big for him. Arthur smiles at her and potters around her, making toast and eggs and coffee. All of which taste good. 

They eat in silence, Hunith is pretty sure it's because Arthur is shy but it might be because he doesn't like her. He keeps smiling at her and blushing, so She decides on shyness and tries to draw him out.

“How are your new classes this year?”

“Oh, they're all right. No one special. Freya's still pretty much my best student.”

“Only pretty much?”

“She's vying with Gili. She keeps getting distracted by Gaius. Nimueh's also up there.”

“My baby's definitely the best.”

“Of course. She is the most imaginative, the best able to adapt information.”

“Yes, she is rather brilliant.”

“Unlike Merlin. Did you ever wonder if he was challenged? Get him tested?”

Hunith is startled by Arthur's earnest tone and looks up to see his earnest face, marred by twinkling eyes and a grin trying to crack his face. 

“Hey!”

She turns to see Merlin in the doorway, hair all over the place, still half asleep. Wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. He stumbles over to Arthur and tries to sit in his lap but Arthur shoves him off with a horrified look at her. Merlin ends up sprawled on the floor, scowling at Arthur.

“What was that for? I'm still mostly asleep and you dump me on the floor? I have to go be with your witch of a sister soon! Not even a kiss!”

“Merlin, your Mum's here.”

Arthur hisses it, face bright red. Hunith winks at Merlin when he sends her a frustrated look, keeping her laughter inside.

“Arthur, you slept over last night. What do you think she thinks we do in my bedroom? Sitting on your lap is perfectly tame! I just wanted to say good morning!”

Arthur goes even redder and looks baffled and a bit freaked out. Hunith actually tries to ignore her knowledge of what they do in Merlin's room. As far as she's concerned it's just a sleepover. She doesn't expect Arthur to pretend, though, and his... prudishness amuses her.

“Merlin...”

“Yeah, all right.”

Merlin gets off the floor and smacks a kiss on the top of Arthur's head, then a kiss on Hunith's head and takes seat. His own seat this time. Arthur gets up and Hunith is distracted by Merlin's chatter about Morgana and Freya and his life in general.

“... I think Will would love her, even though she's all posh. She's a bit brilliant. Thanks Arthur. So I have to go and play drums on a song that doesn't really need them. It would probably stand alone, just her voice, but she want me tapping away in the background.”

Hunith smiles when Arthur slides a plate of toast and scrambled eggs under Merlin's nose and then sits again to drink his tea. Merlin goes on with his chatter until he finishes eating, then gets up and goes to shower. 

“What would you like to do today, Hunith?”

“I thought I'd take a walk, have a look around the area. Maybe read a bit.”

“Would you like to come for a walk in the woods on the edge of town? We can get a bus most of the way and the walk from there is nice. Lanes and trees.”

“That sounds lovely, but I don't want to impose on your time.”

“I've done my work. I'm not needed until four. I'm supposed to be cooking something so we'll need to pop by the shops on the way home and pick up ingredients. I think we'll eat at mine if that's okay? Merlin's is small.”

“Yes, that's fine. I enjoy talking with you, Arthur.”

Arthur blushes and stands abruptly, muttering about a shower. Hunith giggles as she notices his gaze fixed on Merlin, half naked and scuttling back to the bedroom. She pulls out her book and finishes her tea, reading until Merlin rushes out of the room and out of the house and then until Arthur comes out in jeans and a t-shirt.

“I just need a jumper and a coat, then we can head out as well. I thought we could have lunch at the café out in the woods. It's just a bit on the edge, a nice place, lots of art.”

“Okay, I'm in your hands.”

Arthur blushes and scurries back to Merlin's room. They're on the bus before he speaks again and then he just points out the college where Freya goes. Hunith holds her peace until they step off the bus and Arthur shivers.

“Are you warm enough?”

“Yeah, just tired. It's been a long week. I'm sorry I'm so...”

“Shy?”

“Yeah. I'm just not used to staying at Merlin's flat for so long. I've been there all week. I don't like change.”

“No, I see. That's all right. Let's just have a good walk.”

“Thank you, Hunith.”

Arthur smiles and they set off. It is a nice walk, though rather quite. The woods are beautiful and Arthur seems to know the paths fairly well. He leads them and points out birds and plants. 

“Merlin likes it out here. We discovered it at the end of the summer and started coming out here. Usually one of us will drive but he has the car today. He usually cycles but he was late.”

Arthur goes a rather violent shade of red (probably because they finished off their sneaky, unhealthy midnight snack before Merlin headed out) and talks about the café, which they are just arriving at. It's nice enough and cheap, pretty much what she'd expect from Merlin. She smiles when Arthur says Merlin likes it. Arthur's more talkative after lunch and by the time they get off to pop to shops they're having a lively conversation about books they've read and Arthur's gesturing and laughing. Hunith smiles and carries the basket as Arthur worries over what everyone will like, deciding on a pasta bake and salad, vegetables and soup. 

Hunith helps him chop things and everything's ready to be heated up in a few hours when Leon and Percy arrive, the nice boy who she found naked in Arthur's living room last time she was here and his boyfriend. She watches as Arthur hugs them both briefly then leads them through to the kitchen. 

“Hunith, this is Percy. I'm sure you remember Leon, if not I'm sure he'd be willing to show you his bum in order to jog your memory.”

Hunith laughs in surprise and Arthur blushes, but smiles. Leon comes and shakes her hand, grave an very apologetic. She waves away the apologies and just keeps on smiling. They've only just sat down when Merlin walks in with a tall, beautiful girl who must be Morgana and another, shorter but no less beautiful, girl. Merlin and Morgana are bickering about rhythms and lyrics. The other girl rolls her eyes and kisses first Arthur then Leon on the cheek, whispering something to Arthur. Arthur beams at her, then strides across the room and spins Morgana around in a circle a few time, kissing her cheek and forehead and nose.

“I am very proud of you.”

“You know that's a weird thing for you to proud of? I'm your sister.”

“Shut up. I don't care. Hunith, this is my very brilliant sister Morgana and that is her girlfriend Gwen, also a friend of mine. She's the art teacher at college. Speaking of, is Freya coming along tonight?”

“Shit!”

“Did you forget to pick up your sister, Merlin? Honestly. You'd think I raised you in a barn.”

“Mum, we lived in a barn conversion.”

There's a burst of noise as people finish greetings and start conversations. Hunith looks around and heads over to Merlin.

“I'll go get Freya. I think Arthur said something about football?”

“Yeah. Soccer, football. He likes kicking shiz in the garden, god knows why.”

“Why don't you stay here and we'll see you in a bit.”

Merlin makes a face but nods. As Hunith heads out she hears Arthur yell something about football and cheers from the others, also a loud groan of despair from Merlin. She smiles and shuts the door quietly, content and happy that Merlin has found a family here.


End file.
